Electrical connector



Feb. 6, 1962 J. RAVER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June25. 1958 INVENTOR.

J A c K R AVE R Feb. 6, 1962 J. RAVER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25. 1958 U i i d States Patent.

3,020,511 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Jack Raver, New York, N.Y., assignor toGeneral Dynamics Corporation, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled June 25, 1958, Ser. No. 744,383 Claims. (Cl. 339-65) firstmovement of the unfixed assembly, the motion being essentially normal tothe terminal face of the fixed assembly. Thereafter a second movement ofthe unfixed assembly may be made in order to bring complementary ones ofthe first and second assembly terminal sets into engagement. The secondmovement usually takes the form of pivoting the movable assemblyrelative to the fixed assembly. a

While such connectors meet the requirements of some applications, theyare not suited to applications where the fixed assembly is accessibleonly from the front of its terminal block. In such applications,especially where space normal to the terminal face of the fixed assemblyis limited, joining the assemblies in the above-described manner may bedillicult, if not impossible.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a new andimproved multiple terminal connector.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedconnector which may be assembled from one end rather than from the sideof the fixed assembly.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedconnector in which the assemblies are moved transversely with respect toeach other in the above-described juxtaposing movement.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved multipleterminal connector in which any one of the terminals of one assembly isprevented from making contact with any terminal other than thecomplementary terminal in the other assembly during assembly.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved,multiple terminal connector in which the assemblies terminal faces arejuxtaposed by transversely moving one assembly with respect to theother, and in which any one of the terminals in the first assembly isprevented from contacting any terminal other than the complementaryterminal in the other assembly during the assembling movements. Y

I accomplish these and other objects as set forth inthe detaileddescription of my invention which follows. For convenience, reference ismade to the drawings attached to and forming a part of the presentspecification and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a multiple terminal electricalconnector;

FIG. 2 is a detail of the connector shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sideviews of the connector shown in FIG. 1 showing therelative positions of the components during the assembly operation. 7

Referring to the drawings, I provide a multi-terminal 3,020,51 lPatented Feb. 6, 1962 connector having first and second assemblies 10and 20, respectively. Assembly 20 is particularly adapted to, bepermanently fixed to a structure (not shown) while assembly 10 isadapted to be moved by hand with respect to assembly 20 in a manner tobe set forth presently.

Assembly 10 includes a pair of substantially parallel side pieces 11aand 11b for bearing terminal block 12. Terminal block 12 is made ofinsulating material and is attached to the side pieces by screws 16 orany other suitable means. A plurality of terminals, such as 13a, 13b,13c and 13d, are imbedded or otherwise fixed to block 12. The assemblyterminals are similarly oriented with respect to each other. Theassembly 10 terminals are substantially normal to the lower surface ofand extend through block 12 in such a manner that the lower ends form aplane face indicated in FIG. 1 by the dotted lines connecting the lowerterminal ends. The upper ends are accessible for individual connectionto ones of a first plurality of wires (not shown). Each of the terminalsborne in block 12 is complementary to one of a plurality of terminalscarried by and to be described in connection with assembly 20. Thus,terminals 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d are intended to engage terminals 23a,23b, 23c and 23d, respectively, when assemblies 10 and 20 are broughttogether. Locating means comprising lugs 14a and 14b fixed to theoutside surfaces of the right-hand (back) end of side pieces 11a and11b, respectively, are provided for purposes to be set forth.

Assembly 20 comprises a pair of substantially parallel side pieces 21aand 21b for bearing a terminal block 22 of insulating material which isattached to the side pieces by any suitable means, such asscrews 26. Theaforementioned plurality of terminals 23a, 23b, 23c and 23d, areimbedded or otherwise fixed in block 22. The assembly 20 terminals aresimilarly oriented with respect to each other and are substantiallynormal to the top surface of block 22. Theassembly 2t; terminals extendthrough block 22, their lower ends being accessible for individualconnection to ones of asecond plurality of wires (not shown). Theassembly 20 terminals are further oriented so that their upper endspresent a plane face indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 1 connectingthe upper assembly 20 terminal ends. While terminals in the preferredembodiment of my invention are shown as the well-known knife-edge type,it is to be understood that any of a number of other accepted terminaltypes might be employed. I 7

Channels 24a and 24b are formed in side pieces 21:: and 21]),respectively, and cooperate with lugs 14a and 1412, respectively, toguide assembly 10 with respect to assembly 20 in the course of bringingthe assemblies together. Channels 24a and 241) are open-ended at theleft-hand (front) end of assembly 20 and extend parallel to the uppersurface of block 22 and the plane face of terminals 23a-23d along partof the lengths of side pieces 21a and 21b. Channels 24a and 24b areterminated near the right-hand (back) end of assembly 20 in stop or wallportions 27a and 27b which may be integral with the side pieces. Sidepieces 21a and 21b are separated from each other by a distancesufficient to allow the width of assembly 10 to be received between theside pieces of assembly 20, and channels 241: and 241) are shaped toallow lugs 14a and 14b to be freely movable within channels 24a and 2412when assemblies 10 between the side pieces of 20 are so positioned.

Assemblies 10 and 20 are brought together by introducing lugs 14a and14b into the open ends of channels 24a and 24b, respectively, asindicated in FIG. 3, and moving assembly 10 transversely toward the backof assembly 20. In this manner, the height of the back end of assembly10 above the terminal face of assembly 3 20 is fixed. In order toprevent any of terminals l3a-13d from contacting any other than thecomplementary one of terminals 23a23d, I provide means includingsurfaces 15a and 15b on the bottoms of portions extended from theright-hand (back) ends of side pieces 11a and 11b, respectively, forengaging the top surface of block 22 during the transverse movement ofassembly with respect to assembly 20. Surfaces a and 15b are parallel toeach other and at an angle to the plane defined by the bottom surface ofblock 12, as well as the aforementioned face of contacts l3a-l3d. Theengagement between surfaces 15a and 15b and the upper surface of block22 in combination with the presence of lugs 14a and 1412 within channels240 and 24b is effective to maintain the terminal face of assembly 10 atan angle with respect to the terminal face of assembly during thetransverse motion of assembly 10 across assembly 2%). The angle at whichassembly 10 is maintained with respect to assembly Ed is sufficient toprevent any of contacts 13a-l3d from engaging any one of contacts23a-23d.

In order to further position assemblies 10 and 2t) during the movementof assembly 1% I provide other lugs 140 and 14d attached substantiallyat the midpoints of side pieces 11a and 11b, respectively. A lineextending from the center of each of lugs 14a and 141) through thecenter of each of lugs 14c and 14d, respectively, is substantiallyparallel to surfaces 15a and 15b. Lugs 14c and 14d are received withinchannels 24a and 2417, respectively, during the transverse movement ofassembly 10, so that lugs 14c and 14d help to maintain assembly 10 atthe above-described fixed angle with respect to assembly 20.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4-, the transverse movement of assembly 10 withrespect to assembly 20 is stopped by lugs 14a and 14b engaging stops 27aand 27b. As indicated in FIG. 4, stops 27a and 27b are located in such amanner that when the motion of block 10 is arrested in theaforementioned manner, surfaces 15a and 151) have been moved past anddisengaged from the upper surface of block 22. Further, the transversemotion of assembly 10 is. arrested at a point Where lugs 1 4 0 and 14dare opposite depressions or subchannels 28a and 28b which open into andextend downwardly from channels 24a and 2412 within side pieces 21a and21b. Depressions 28a and 28b are of width sufficient to receive lugs 14cand 14d.

Block 12 is located within side pieces 11a and 11b so that when themotion of assembly 10 with respect to assembly 2-0 is arrested in theabove-described manner, assembly ll) is constrained to rotate in acounterclockwise direction with respect to assembly 2% around the pivotpoint defined by the point of engagement between lugs 14:: and 14b andstops 27a and 27b within channels 24a and 24b. Such rotation of assembly10 about assembly 20 is effective for bringing ones of terminalsIlla-13d into engagement with complementing ones of terminals 23a-23d.The rotational movement of assembly 10 forces lugs 14c and 14d intodepressions 28a and 28b, respectively, thereby further positioning andlocking assembly 10 against further transverse movement with respect toassembly 20.

In order to assist the user in rotating assembly It with respect toassembly 20, I provide means including cam 30 which is pivotallyattached to the left-hand (front) end of the assembly 10 side pieces 11aand 11b by means including lugs 19a and 1%. Referring to FIG. 2, cam 30cooperates with lugs 29a and 29b borne on the front end of assembly 20in the manner next set forth. Cam 30 has a front portion 31 and sides32a and 32b which extend parallel to side pieces 11a and 11b. The sides32a and 3212 have slots opening into the right-hand edges of the sides.The Walls of each slot diverge from each other toward the open ends ofthe slots. When assemblies 10 and 20 have been positioned with respectto each other by the above-described transverse movement, rotationalmovement of assembly 10 with respect to assembly 20 is effected byrotating cam '30 in a counterclockwise direction about lugs 19a and 19b.As a result of such rotation, the bottom surfaces of the slots in sides32a and 32b engage the lower sides of lugs 29a and 29b. The upwardlysloping bottom surfaces of the slots forces the front end of assembly 10to be drawn toward assembly 20 to the point where contacts 13a-13dengage respective ones of contacts 23a-23d. Assemblies 10 and 20 may berotated apart from each other by the opposite movement of cam 30, i.e.,by rotating the cam 30 in a clockwise direction about lugs 19a and 1%,so that the upper surfaces of the slots in sides 32a and 32b engage theupper sides of lugs 29a and 29b and consequently force the front ends ofassemblies 10 and 20 apart as cam 30 is rotated.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention,other modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. I donot, therefore, desire my invention to be limited to the specificarrangement shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims tocover all modifications within the scope and spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A separable electrical connector comprising a first longitudinalinsulating block having a predetermined longitudinal pattern of terminalelements disposed on a face thereof, said first block having a proximalend and a distal end, a first pair of parallel opposed side platesmounted on opposite sides of said first block and extending beyond saiddistal end thereof, each of said first pair of side plates including achannel therein oriented parallel to the length of said first block agiven first distance above the face thereof, each channel extending froma first point in the vicinity of the proximal end of said first block toa second point, which second point of both channels is located the samegiven longitudinal distance beyond the distal end of said first block,each channel being open ended at said first point thereof and closedended at said second point thereof, a second 1ongitudinal insulatingblock having a complementary longitudinal pattern of terminal elementsdisposed on a face thereof which are engageable with said terminals ofsaid first block, said second block having a leading end and a trailingend, a second pair of parallel opposed side plates mounted on oppositesides of said second block, each of said second pair of side platesincluding a short straight edge foot portion located below the leadingend thereof and disposed at an acute angle with respect to the length ofsaid second block, said acute angle facing the trailing edge of saidsecond block, said foot portion being brought into engagement with theface of said first block at the proximal end thereof when assembly ofsaid connecter is initiated and then riding on the face of said firstblock towards said distal end thereof as assembly of said connectorproceeds, whereby during assembly of said connector said second block ismaintained in spaced relationship with respect to said first block atsaid acute angle to thereby maintain said terminal elements indisengagement, each of said second pair of side plates including arespective pivot pin lug projecting therefrom and oriented directlyabove said foot portion in a position to be received by said respectivechannels at said first point thereof when assembly of said connector isinitiated, whereby said pivot pin lugs move in said channels towardssaid second point thereof as assembly of said connector proceeds, thelength of each short straight edge foot portion being no greater thansaid given longitudinal distance, whereby when said pivot pin lugs reachsaid second point each of said foot portions has moved beyond the distalend of said firstblock, thereby permitting said second block to berotated about said pivot pin lugs through said acute angle towards saidfirst block, said complementary longitudinal pattern of terminalelements achieving cooperative relationship with said predeterminedlongitudinal pattern of terminal elements when said pivot pin lugs reachsaid second point of said channels, whereby said complementarylongitudinal pattern of terminal elements are sequentially engaged tosaid predetermined pattern of terminal elements in response to rotationof said second block about said pivot pin lugs through said acute angletowards said first block when said pivot pin lugs have reached saidsecond point of said channel.

2. The electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein each of saidterminals of said predetermined longitudinal pattern of terminalelements projects above said face of said first longitudinal insulatingblock.

3. The electrical connector defined in claim 1 further including a guidepin lug laterally secured to each of said second pair of side plates andprojecting therefrom, said guide pin lug located between said pivot pinlug and said trailing edge of said second block in a position to bereceived by said channels at said first point thereof as assembly ofsaid connector proceeds, and said first pair of side plates including aslot-like depression extending downwardly from said channel towards saidfirst block to receive said guide pin lug, said slot-like depressionspaced a given radial distance from said second point, said guide pinlug being spaced from said pivot pin lug the same radial distance,whereby when said pivot pin lugs reach said second point said guide pinlug coacts with'said slotangle towards said first block.

like depression, thereby permitting said second block to be rotatedabout said pivot pin lugs through said acute 4. The electrical connectordefined in claim 1 wherein each of said pivot pin lugsis located thesame given first distance directly above said straight foot portionalong a line perpendicular to said short straight edge foot portion. a I

5. The electrical connector defined in claim 4 wherein said pivot pinlug and said guide pin lugs lie in a straight line, said straight linebeing parallel to said short straight edge foot portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

